1. (1:) The angels were Moshe and Aharon. - Da’as Zekeinim
(2:) The Rosh interprets the passuk “And the divine beings saw the daughters of men, that they were pretty,” (6:2,) as follows: “It is stated in Medrash Teves: There was a righteous, young woman, and when the divine beings descended, they told her, ‘listen to us [and sin,]’ and she told them, ‘I will not listen to you unless you give me your wings,’ and they gave her wings and she flew to the heavens, and held onto [Hashem’s] throne of glory; and Hashem spread his cloud over her and established her in the zodiac constellations (מזלות,) [and she is now the mazal of “Besula” (virgin) - the mazal of Elul.]
“And because the angels were left without wings, they could not ascend to the heavens anymore, and they remained on earth - until they found the ladder which Yaakov Avinu dreamt of, and they ascended through it.”
2. According to the concordance on Tanach, the name Yitzchok is found in the Chumash 98 times, and another 10 times in the rest of Tanach. The two middle letters of the name Yitzchok: Tzaddik and Ches, equal 98.
3. (1:) During Avrohom’s time, only “that place” - where he made an oath was called Be’er Sheva, but the city was not yet called by that name. - Chizkuni
(2:) During Avrohom’s time, the city was called “Be’er Shuva” with a komatz vowel on the letter shin, and during Yitzchok’s time, the name was changed to “Be’er Sheva,” with a segol. - Sefurnu
(וראה מאמר ד"ה ושבתי בשלום ט' כסלו ה'תשל"ח אות ג)
4. In truth, Yaakov Avinu did not rely on the stones, rather, he only relied on Hashem. He placed the stones only because Hashem says that one is obligated to invest effort - but, “not because of this would he be protected.” - Reb Velvel Soloveichik of Brisk
It is told about Reb Velvel Soloviechik of Brisk that during the second world war, he was in a bomb shelter in Warsaw while bombs fell, and the sound of the bombing was deafening. Reb Velvel sat and learnt with diligence as all this went on. He was asked how he was able to do this, and he explained that once he did his part of entering a shelter, he was no longer afraid and relied on Hashem.
5. (1:) It descended to him from the heavens. - Pirkei D’rabi Eliezer
(2:) Yaakov’s stick was not taken from him, as the passuk says, “For with my staff I crossed this Jordan river,” (32:11.) The stick was hollow on the inside, and Yaakov would fill it with oil so that he could light a lamp by which to learn Torah.
6. Yaakov said (19:20-21:) "If Hashem will be with me; and will protect me on this journey that I am undertaking; and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear” - asking for physical, and then he said: “and Hashem will be my G-d” - asking for the spiritual.
7. The local women sang “Hah Laya” over and over. They did this to hint to Yaakov that “Hee Leah - she is Leah.” - Medrash Raba
8. The Shach writes in the name of the Bach that if there are a few brothers and sisters who need to get married, a younger one should not be married off before an older one, even if the younger one is greater in wisdom.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein rules that a younger brother may get married before an older one. This is because the younger brother has a mitzvah to “be fruitful and multiply,” and he cannot be held back from fulfilling this mitzvah.
9. Yaakov was 84 years old when he got married. - Rashi
10. Rochel and Leah’s mother, (Lavan’s wife,) was named “Adinah.” - Seder Hadoros
